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Tshisekedi Sacks Head of DRC’s State Mining Company Just Weeks After Release of Blockbuster Corruption Investigation

by Eric Olander
Former Gécamines head Albert Yuma. Image by Goe452. CC BY-SA 3.0

DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi fired the powerful head of the country’s state-run mining company Gécamines on Friday in an apparent effort to gain control of the narrative following last week’s release of a damning international investigation that revealed widespread corruption at the firm.

Albert Yuma (photo) had led Gécamines since 2010 and was even re-appointed by President Tshisekedi in 2019 when he assumed office. But it appears the domestic political pressure sparked by the Congo Hold-Up report gave the president the opening he had long sought to take action against both Yuma, a former Kabila ally, and the entire Gécamines board who were all relieved of their positions.

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